NHTSA Complaint #10326236 — 2003 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHRI

HARLEY DAVIDSON 2003 FLHRI TOURING MOTORCYCLE. NOTICED FLUID ALONG FRAME NEAR FLOORBOARD MOUNT FOR SOMETIME, WAS NOT SURE WERE IT WAS COMING FROM. ON A RIDE AND BRAKE PETAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN, REAR BRAKE FAILURE. BROUGHT BIKE HOME. I REMOVED THE EAR BRAKE LINE TO FIND IT HAD BEEN RUBBING AGAINST THE FRAME. HARLEY PUT A THIN PLASTIC SLEEVE IN THE AREA OF THE FRAME WHERE FLOORBOARD MOUNT IS. THE PROBLEM WAS LINE IS ROUTED AGAINST THIS AREA AND RUBBED RIGHT THROUGH METAL BRAKE LINE. BROUGHT TO AMERICAN HARLEY IN LEOMINSTER MASS. GOT NEW LINE AND IT HAD BEEN TOTALLY REDESIGNED. THE NEW LINE IS RUBBER WERE THE ORIGINAL WAS METAL COMING OUT OF MASTER CYLINDER BACK TO JUNCTION BEFORE CALIPER. I RECENTLY CHANGED THE OIL ON MY FRIENDS FLHCI ROAD KING AND HER BIKE HAS BRAKE FLUID ALL OVER THE PLACE IN SAME AREA WHERE THE LINE COMES IN CONTACT WITH FRAME AT FLOORBOARD MOUNTS. HARLEY KNOWS THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT IS WHY PART HAS BEEN TOTALLY CHANGED. I ALMOST LOST MY LIFE ON THIS DAYNOT BEING ABLE TO STOP AT THE END OF WILLIAMS STREET IN UPTON BECAUSE OF SUDDEN BRAKE FAILURE. I HAVE OLD BRAKE LINE AND I PLAN ON CHANGING MY FRIENDS LINE AND COMPARE BOTH. SHE HAS A 2004 TOURING. I INTEND TO MAKE SURE THIS IS ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. PLEASE TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY . IT IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. THANKYOU. *TR